Endless Sea of Mountains Picture
  "From this mountain I could observe high rugged mountains in every direction as far as I could see."
 
William Clark, September 15, 1805
 
North Central Idaho Resource Advisory Committee

Welcome!
Part of Idaho's Big Wild, the Clearwater National Forest covers 1.8 million acres from the jagged peaks of the Bitterroot Mountains in the east to the river canyons and the rolling hills of the Palouse Prairie in the west.

The North Fork of the Clearwater and the Lochsa rivers provide miles of tumbling white water interspersed with quiet pools for migratory and resident fish. The mountains provide habitat for elk, moose, whitetail and mule deer, black bear, gray wolf, cougar, mountain goats, and many smaller mammals.

The ridges between the deep canyons have provided travel corridors across the mountains for centuries. These routes were used by the Nez Perce Indians and, in 1805-1806, the Lewis and Clark Expedition. Today the main travel route is U.S. Highway 12 following the dramatic canyon of the Middle Fork of the Clearwater River and its tributary the Lochsa River.

Lewsi and Clark and the Lolo trail word graphic
Lewis and Clark silohuette graphic
In 1805 Lewis and Clark followed the Lolo Trail through the mountains of Idaho and Montana. This rugged path had been carved over the centuries by indigenous peoples traveling to hunting areas and to trade with neighboring tribes. Known locally as the "Lolo Motorway," the Lolo Trail National Historic Landmark is still traveled by adventurous explorers and is still sacred to the Ni Mii Puu (Nez Perce Indians).
"A fair morning. Cold. I proceeded on in advance with six hunters. Made 32 miles, encamped on a bold running creek passing to the left, which I call Hungry Creek, as at that place we had nothing to eat."

William Clark

Sept 18, 1805
Picture of rugged rock outcroppings on a ridge


Bitterroot Mtns

"From this place we had an extensive view of these stupendous mountains . . . . we were entirely surrounded by those mountains from which to one unacquainted with them it would have seemed impossible ever to have escaped."
Meriwether Lewis, June 27, 1806

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Updated October 8, 2008

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11.5.07

 

  

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Tom Reilly
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12730 Highway 12
Orofino, Idaho 83544
1-208-476-4541